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Foreword By ANDREW KREIG
 More than ever, the public needs bare-knuckle advocates – and not the glad-handers, greedy careerists, and clueless complainers who often dominate our civic life. One such fighter is Andy Thibault, author of the superb more COOL JUSTICE. His fifth book exposes injustice much in the style of his Law and Justice in Everyday Life, which he authored in 2002 to much acclaim. His latest portrayal of corruption, suffering, and vindication lives up to his reputation as a prize-winning investigative reporter. With passion, courage and writing talent, he exposes failures that hurt the legal system’s consumers. Consumers — that’s you and us — all too often end up as victims because of the rigged procedures and insider intrigues he portrays so vividly. His accomplishment goes beyond that of a writer. Too many of them are mere explainers or entertainers. He is a pathfinder who is not only active in a wide variety of civic groups, but an inspiration to others in varied walks of life. Foreword continuationAndrew Kreig is the author of “Presidential Puppetry: Obama, Romney and Their Masters” and “Spiked: How Chain Management Corrupted America’s Oldest Newspaper.” Kreig leads the Justice Integrity Project of Washington, D.C., a non-partisan legal reform group that investigates official misconduct.
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[Thibault is] a friend to poets and writers, a champion of civil liberties, an investigative journalist who relishes rolling up his sleeves and wading in the muck to unearth that memo that the cops wanted to see buried …- Ravi Shankar, editor of the literary journal Drunken Boat, chairman of the Connecticut Young Writers Trust and professor of English at Central Connecticut State University |
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When other journalists moved on from the sad case of Bonnie Foreshaw, Andy Thibault stayed put. He stayed put, and he refused to waver in his reporting and writing that this was a tragic miscarriage of justice. For this and so many other reasons, Andy's a journalist's journalist in the finest sense of that phrase.Susan Campbell, author of, 'Tempest-Tossed: The Spirit of Isabella Beecher Hooker' |
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Andy takes up the impossible and makes it possible through dogged determination and by seeing no boundaries when it comes to upholding the justice we all deserve.Ondi Timoner, documentary filmmaker, "The Nature of the Beast." |
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Andy has spent his life doing the near impossible, trying to find truth among politicians, judges, wardens, and others on the public dole. These weasels and professional apologists haven't made it easy for Mr. Thibault. He's worn out many shovels digging for a nugget of truth, for openness, free speech and the free flow of facts that can dissolve smoke and shatter mirrors. He is the definition of compassion, depth, integrity, and perseverance. Andy Thibault is the walking one and only. You couldn't have a better friend or a worse enemy. Read his tough, hard fought, honest words in more COOL JUSTICE. You don't have to hold this book up to the light, mother fucker. The light comes through on every page.Franz Douskey, author with Tony Consiglio of 'Sinatra and Me - The Very Good Years' |
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Andy Thibault is a junkyard dog for justice who bares his teeth at pomposity and institutional unfairness and only bites the truly deserving. Need proof? Read 'more Cool Justice.'Wally Lamb, New York Times best selling author of 'I Know This Much Is True' |
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Andy Thibault is Connecticut's premiere journalistic warrior. In more Cool Justice he proves once again that he will stop at nothing to ensure free speech, governmental transparency, and equitable legal treatment in the Nutmeg state. Don't turn a blind eye to injustice. Read this book.Chandra Prasad, author of, 'On Borrowed Wings' and 'Mixed: An Anthology on the Multiracial Experience.' |
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When Andy Thibault hears of an injustice within the judicial system or inside the prison walls he will diligently check the facts and demand justice. Andy chronicled the fight against the Department of Correction discrimination of Bonnie Foreshaw's religious rights when DOC tried to force her to wear prison jeans instead of a skirt. He was a forceful voice against the lawsuit brought by the state to punish the female prison writers of "Couldn't Keep It To Myself," edited by Wally Lamb. Not only is Andy an astute investigator, he is a devoted teacher of journalism and communication. He has spent his life demanding equal justice for all.Barbara Parsons, recipient of, the 2004 Newman's Own PEN Award and contributor to "Couldn't Keep It To Myself" and "I'll Fly Away." |
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Andy Thibault writes readable and compelling stories that matter. To be sure, this isn't the usual stuff. He focuses on the people, issues and ideas that escape the attention of other journalists. And he handles his subjects with brutal, unflinching honesty. He is real, and his stories are real. He reminds us that good investigative journalism matters to us as individuals and is indispensable to our society. I read everything Andy Thibault writes, and I'm better off for it. This book is indispensable.Atty. Ross Garber, partner and co-chair of the the Government Investigations and White Collar Crime Group, Shipman & Goodwin, Hartford, CT |
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Andy Thibault keeps a close eye on Connecticut jurisprudence, and this volume collects some of his most lively and insightful pieces. Excellent reporting, a real pleasure to read.Luanne Rice, New York Times best selling author, 'The Lemon Orchard' |
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Here are highly original compelling accounts delivered by a skillful writer who is a passionate investigator as well as meticulous journalist. Andy Thibault is a rare talent and a terrific guy.Bob Leuci, NYPD Det., Ret., URI prof & author ,'The New Centurions' |
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Andy Thibault? For starters, tenacious, relentless and fearless. His strong character and dedication are rare. Andy and I worked together in his early years as a reporter and I've followed his work for the last 40 years. As his newspaper editor I knew that if I sent him on an assignment, Andy would always be back with the story, and most likely more of a story that those involved might want told. You won't find many people with more commitment, better eyes or sharper teeth doing what he does.John C. Peterson, The Peterson Group / former managing editor, The Norwich Bulletin & publisher, Shore Line Newspapers |
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Sometimes Justice's blindfold can get a little too comfortable. That's when Andy Thibault uses his sharply focused investigative reporting to give the goddess a jolt of insight. He may have made Justice Cool, but Andy's hot passion for the abused, neglected, and denied victims of the courts repeatedly heats concerned readers, lawyers and legislators to a very constructive boiling point.David Marash, co-news director of, KSFR public radio, Santa Fe, and former anchor-reporter for Al Jazeera and ABC News." |
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Andy is clearly one of the finest investigative reporters of our generation. Without regard to personal consequences, he exposes the truth and sets the record straight always. If you are his target — raise the white flag and surrender.Attorney Bruce Baron, National Media Legal Analyst, Brooklyn, NY |
Thibault is truly his own man. His views conform to no particular orthodoxy, and they shine forth with an intensity borne of the deep conviction with which the author believes them. In addition, Thibault is a marvelous sleuth and a detective with a keen instinct for running down a story and ascertaining the truth about it.Dr. Jay Bergman, Professor of History, Central Connecticut State University
Andy’s last name fits. Thibault is the French variant of the German surname Theobald –theo means ‘people’ and bald is ‘bold.’ I know few people bolder in the lonely pursuit of justice than Andy Thibault. He is like a white blood cell fighting the disease of corruption in the body politic. Andy’s crisp sentences disregard the consequences and trappings of power; he just wants to tell the truth.Atty. Ken Krayeske, columnist and former Green Party congressional candidate
Where other ‘journalists’ find fluff and feel-good, Thibault reminds us that no pursuit involving real principles and personalities is free from politics. He also never forgets – as a one-man institutional memory – he keeps finding new twists in and connections across stories that otherwise would have faded long ago.Candi Deschamps , teacher, New York, NY & 2001 state prose champion, CT Young Writers Trust
Andy’s writings are undeniable proof that when it comes to advancing liberty and justice, the pen is indeed [sometimes] mightier than the sword.Atty. Proloy Das, Rome-McGuigan, Hartford, CT / former state appellate prosecutor
Andy’s back! Good. The buffoons sitting atop the pyramids of power were getting a little too comfortable. Read Thibault. He’s an antidote to complacency.Atty. Norm Pattis, author of, ‘Taking Back the Courts’
Andy is a maverick, but the kind that has the public good and the concept of governmental transparency at the core of his writing. He is a fierce advocate for what he perceives as injustice as witnessed by his tireless efforts to help Bonnie Foreshaw win her freedom. While one may not always agree with his arguments, he brings to the table the ability to stir debate on important issues.Atty. Richard Meehan, columnist, Hearst and Gatehouse newspapers
Andy Thibault was presented this year the coveted Stephen A. Collins Award by the Connecticut Council on Freedom of information, for his persistent advocacy of the people’s right to know what their government is doing. Andy is always out front and ahead of the pack with clear-minded, effective writing on the ills of secrecy in society. He is not alone in getting wrongly convicted Bonnie Foreshaw out of jail, but he was the primary catalyst in making sure her clemency hearing was heard in public, ensuring fairness and holding the justice system accountable.James H. Smith, author, ‘A Passion for Journalism, A Newspaper Editor Writes to His Readers.’
As a no-nonsense champion of justice, Andy can sprint, run like a marathoner, fight like a wrestler, and deliver knockout punches when necessary. It would be unwise for any wrong-doers to even think of messing with him. And the world would be a fairer and more just place if we had more Andys out there.Shouhua Qi, author of ‘Purple Mountain: A Story of the Rape of Nanking’ and ‘Red Guard Fantasies and Other Stories.’
Andy Thibault is an unusual, and probably extraordinary man. In this day and age, he is a bit of an anomaly, sort of a gunslinger from the Old West, ready to fire at anything that moves -- especially if he doesn’t take kindly to the movement ... He is in a way a corollary of Robin Hood; he takes from the powerful and gives to the weak.F. Lee Bailey, legendary defense lawyer, author of ‘The Defense Never Rests’
Andy really is like a throwback to the crusading journalists of old, to the I.F. Stones and the muckrakers and the people who really are engaging their passion. He is probably in a lot of ways what the rest of us have forgotten to be. We're all too corporate now. I just have to give Andy some credit. He really goes after these stories with his guts and passion. He’s always sending me e-mails about horrific things that are happening and I almost am scared to open them – often it’s a pretty significant story that other people aren't telling.Colin McEnroe, author, columnist and WNPR host
Reading Andy Thibault reminded me of the heroes of my youth, the great muckrakers of the early 20th century.Howard Zinn, author of ‘People’s History of the United States’